Money To Burn

November 18, 1985

LA PAZ, BOLIVIA — ''The money isn't worth anything . . . It's garbage.'' Raul Tovar, general manager of the central bank, was explaining why about 20 tons of bills stored in warehouses will be burned. Bolivia's inflation rate was 20,560 percent when Victor Paz Estenssoro took over as president in August. Paper money was the country's third biggest import, behind wheat and machinery. Paz Estenssoro's austerity program has brought inflation under control. Tovar said the bank looked for ways to make use of the money but found none. ''It won't even work as toilet paper, which was the last possibility,'' he said.